Award-winning Middle-Grade Fantasy Journey to Jumbalot by Ryan Wakefield, available now as audiobook narrated by Bill Lord
Hello again, dear audiobooks friends! Today’s spotlight article is dedicated to Journey to Jumbalot, an Inspiring Middle-Grade Fantasy about Building Self-Confidence and Overcoming Insecurity, by multi award-winning author and graphic artist Ryan Wakefield.
Journey to Jumbalot features a timid housecat named Alby who is thrust into a perilous new land in order to save his kindly owner. Full of action and adventure, the book showcases how hybrid animals use their voice for good, speaking strongly of ingenuity, friendship, loyalty, and heroism. Transcending many genres including fiction, fantasy, myth and legend, the book reminds young readers that self-confidence, compassion, and imagination can change our circumstances.
Performed by the award-winning narrator Bill Lord and with a runtime of a little over six hours,Journey to Jumbalot will prove out to be an adventure unlike any other!
Let’s take a look now at the Publisher’s Summary so that we can find out what the story is all about, and after that I will introduce you to the author, the narrator, and reveal the inspiration behind this award winning work.
A glowing doorway. A lost friend. Will one loyal pet turn out to be the hero of the hour?
Alby the housecat has no desire for adventure. Rescued by the kindly Professor Wizoom, he’s grateful to be safe and lazy. But when his master vanishes through a magical door, the scaredy-cat summons what little courage he has and races in after him.
Stuck in a strange land of mixed-together animals, Alby teams up with an irritating froguar to locate his missing owner. But when he’s mistaken for a spy, the lonely feline finds himself caught in a war between wolvaraptor pirates and noble tigeroon knights!
Can the timid feline conquer his worries in time to save the day?
Journey to Jumbalot is an action-packed fantasy audiobook based on an award-winning novel. If you like talking animals, daring deeds, and enchanted worlds, then you’ll love Ryan Wakefield’s imaginative quest into a strange new world.
Journey to Jumbalot has received positive reviews from some of the most well-renowned literary organizations, authors, and reviewers around the world.
Awards:
- 2022 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards: Gold Medal for Children’s Preteen Fantasy
- 2022 Bookfest Awards: Fantasy and Magic Category
- 2021 Royal Palm Literary Award Competition: Gold Award for Published Fantasy
- 2021 Mom’s Choice Awards: Gold Recipient for excellence in Family-friendly Media, Products, and Services
- Global Book Awards: Silver Medal for Children’s Action and Adventure Category
Ryan Wakefield has worked primarily as a graphic artist for the last 20 years, but he always dreamt about creating a fantasy world young readers can escape to. Since grade school, he was fascinated with animal hybrids. He loved the idea of blending two or three animals together to create a magnificent new species. This fascination and his love for fantasy inspired him to fulfill his lifelong dream to breathe life into a new world middle-grade readers can explore – Jumbalot.
He’s also the proud co-parent of a silly pug named Lily, and a sometimes-difficult feline named Rocky. The book’s protagonist, Alby, is based on Ryan’s first pet: an oversized black and white house cat named Albert. The only thing larger than Albert’s appetite was his heart and he is sorely missed.
Ryan and his wife encourage everyone to open their hearts and their homes to adoptable pets.
“I began writing Journey to Jumbalot immediately after losing my cat named Albert. His loss pushed me to fulfill my childhood dream of writing a fantasy novel. The main character, Alby the housecat, is based on Albert and is my way of honoring his memory,” says author Ryan Wakefield. A multi-award-winning author with 20 years of experience as a graphic artist, Wakefield’s goal was to breathe life into a new fantasy world that would inspire readers to believe in themselves, even against overwhelming odds. The result was a thought-provoking piece of work that pushed the boundaries of creativity, fantasy, and world-building. “I hope it teaches middle-grade readers the importance of self-confidence and overcoming insecurities.”
Narrator Bill Lord is an Audiofile Magazine Earphones Award recipient who reads fiction and non-fiction for major and indie publishers. His favorite genres are Mysteries, Thrillers, Memoirs, Science Fiction, and Children’s stories.
Bill is also an audiobook coach for Edge Studio and have led sessions on vocal booth and website design for the highly acclaimed Audiobook Biz Workshop Series presented each year by his fellow narrators, Johnny Heller and Scott Brick.
With colorful prose, memorable characters and an inspiring message, Journey to Jumbalot offers a one-of-a-kind fantasy adventure. Available for sale on Amazon, animal lovers and fans of spellbinding middle-grade fiction are encouraged to purchase their copy today: https://amzn.to/3u5MNuc
Readers, parents, educators, and book clubs are encouraged to visit the author’s website for more information about the book and updates on new book releases: http://www.jumbalot.com
I will return in late June or early July with a full review for Journey to Jumbalot but until then take care, stay safe and don’t forget, always listen with your heart!
We hope that you enjoyed this article and, if you did, that you will share it with your friends on social media.
I also post reviews or articles at the author, narrator, or publisher’s request, so, if you are in need of assistance in finding the perfect narrator for your book or just want to have a review on my blog, do get in touch.
Victor Dima
Latest posts by Victor Dima (see all)
- Review: Toxic Minds, written and performed by Anthony Lee - July 7, 2025
- Review: Shadow of the Dragon, written by Amy Daniels, narrated by Phillip Nathaniel Freeman and a full cast - July 4, 2025
- Review: My Friends by Fredrik Backman, performed by Marin Ireland – Editor’s Choice Award for Excellence in Entertainment - July 3, 2025
